Besides albums like Daddy Yankee's Prestige or Miguel Bose's Papitwo, which I reviewed on the Latin music site this year, there are other outstanding works that I would like to add to this list. The following albums cover a whole range of sounds touching everything from Latin Jazz and Brazilian music to Bachata and Latin Alternative music. Let's take a look at the best albums of 2012.
The popular Latin Urban and Reggaeton duo Wisin y Yandel delivered one of the most popular Latin music albums of the year. With "Lideres", Wisin y Yandel consolidated the increasing appeal of Latin Urban music as a genre that borrows musical beats from various styles. Top songs from this work include hits like "Algo Me Gusta De Ti" and "Follow The Leader," the popular track featuring Jennifer Lopez.More »
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With its outstanding duets and hit collection, Papitwo became one of the best Latin music compilations of 2012. The album features top music stars and celebrities such as Juanes, Alejandro Sanz, Malu and the famous Spanish actress Penelope Cruz. Some of the best tracks from this production include songs like "Linda," "Aire Soy" and "Amiga."More »
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Thanks to 365 Dias, Los Tucanes de Tijuana were honored this year with the Best Norteno Album Award at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. This production includes a nice variety of sounds where you can enjoy two versions of tracks like "Rehabilitado," "365 Dias" and "Me Acostumbre A Tus Besos."More »
Another outstanding compilation, this posthumous work features some of Selena's most memorable hits in a duets album that included the participation of stars like Christian Castro, Don Omar and Selena Gomez. The album provides a good range of sounds that includes beats from genres such as Ranchera, Merengue and Latin Pop.More »
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Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux delivered an outstanding work that touches the boundaries of Latin Urban and Alternative music. With its challenging lyrics, La Bala is also one of the most outspoken albums of the year. Top tracks include songs like "Desclasificado," "Shock" and "Sacar La Voz," featuring Academy Award winner Jorge Drexler.More »
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After the enormous success he gathered with his debut album, this year Bachata sensation artist Prince Royce hit the Latin music market with Phase II. The album became one of this year's best selling titles thanks to tracks such as "Las Cosas Pequenas" and "Incondicional." With this work, Prince Royce consolidated a Bachata sound heavily influenced by Pop.More »
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Fonseca released one of the nicest Tropical albums of 2012. Thanks to songs like "Desde Que No Estas" and "Los Buenos Milagros," which are nicely touched by Vallenato music, Ilusion was honored with the Best Tropical Fusion Album Award at this year's edition of the Latin Grammy Awards. This is a nice album to dance with your loved one.More »
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After the hugely popular album and tour Drama Y Luz, the Mexican Rock band hit the music market with this nice compilation of hits. Thanks to its amazing sound, Exiliados En La Bahia: Lo Mejor De Mana offers a great opportunity to revisit some of the most enduring songs ever recorded by Mana.More »
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Rodrigo y Gabriela, the famous Mexican acoustic guitar duo hit the market early this year with an amazing compilation work featuring some of the best tracks from their repertoire. Thanks to the collaboration with the Afro-Cuban band C.U.B.A., Area 52 provides a nice chance to enjoy in a different way classics like "Diablo Rojo" and "Hanuman."More »
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From the animated movie by the same title, this soundtrack features a nice compilation of songs where you can go back to the sounds that defined Afro-Cuban music during the 1940s and 1950s. In particular, its tracks are shaped around the Latin big band sound of that time. The legendary Cuban pianist Bebo Valdes, whose life inspired this movie, composed and arranged most of the songs.More »
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'Lideres' - Wisin y Yandel
The popular Latin Urban and Reggaeton duo Wisin y Yandel delivered one of the most popular Latin music albums of the year. With "Lideres", Wisin y Yandel consolidated the increasing appeal of Latin Urban music as a genre that borrows musical beats from various styles. Top songs from this work include hits like "Algo Me Gusta De Ti" and "Follow The Leader," the popular track featuring Jennifer Lopez.More »
Read Review
'Papitwo' - Miguel Bose
With its outstanding duets and hit collection, Papitwo became one of the best Latin music compilations of 2012. The album features top music stars and celebrities such as Juanes, Alejandro Sanz, Malu and the famous Spanish actress Penelope Cruz. Some of the best tracks from this production include songs like "Linda," "Aire Soy" and "Amiga."More »
Read Review
'365' - Los Tucanes de Tijuana
Thanks to 365 Dias, Los Tucanes de Tijuana were honored this year with the Best Norteno Album Award at the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. This production includes a nice variety of sounds where you can enjoy two versions of tracks like "Rehabilitado," "365 Dias" and "Me Acostumbre A Tus Besos."More »
'Enamorada De Ti' - Selena
Another outstanding compilation, this posthumous work features some of Selena's most memorable hits in a duets album that included the participation of stars like Christian Castro, Don Omar and Selena Gomez. The album provides a good range of sounds that includes beats from genres such as Ranchera, Merengue and Latin Pop.More »
Read Review
'La Bala' - Ana Tijoux
Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux delivered an outstanding work that touches the boundaries of Latin Urban and Alternative music. With its challenging lyrics, La Bala is also one of the most outspoken albums of the year. Top tracks include songs like "Desclasificado," "Shock" and "Sacar La Voz," featuring Academy Award winner Jorge Drexler.More »
Read Review
'Phase II' - Prince Royce
After the enormous success he gathered with his debut album, this year Bachata sensation artist Prince Royce hit the Latin music market with Phase II. The album became one of this year's best selling titles thanks to tracks such as "Las Cosas Pequenas" and "Incondicional." With this work, Prince Royce consolidated a Bachata sound heavily influenced by Pop.More »
Read Review
'Ilusion' - Fonseca
Fonseca released one of the nicest Tropical albums of 2012. Thanks to songs like "Desde Que No Estas" and "Los Buenos Milagros," which are nicely touched by Vallenato music, Ilusion was honored with the Best Tropical Fusion Album Award at this year's edition of the Latin Grammy Awards. This is a nice album to dance with your loved one.More »
Read Review
'Exiliados En La Bahia: Lo Mejor De Mana' - Mana
After the hugely popular album and tour Drama Y Luz, the Mexican Rock band hit the music market with this nice compilation of hits. Thanks to its amazing sound, Exiliados En La Bahia: Lo Mejor De Mana offers a great opportunity to revisit some of the most enduring songs ever recorded by Mana.More »
Read Review
'Area 52' - Rodrigo y Gabriela
Rodrigo y Gabriela, the famous Mexican acoustic guitar duo hit the market early this year with an amazing compilation work featuring some of the best tracks from their repertoire. Thanks to the collaboration with the Afro-Cuban band C.U.B.A., Area 52 provides a nice chance to enjoy in a different way classics like "Diablo Rojo" and "Hanuman."More »
Read Review
'Chico & Rita' (Soundtrack) - Bebo Valdes
From the animated movie by the same title, this soundtrack features a nice compilation of songs where you can go back to the sounds that defined Afro-Cuban music during the 1940s and 1950s. In particular, its tracks are shaped around the Latin big band sound of that time. The legendary Cuban pianist Bebo Valdes, whose life inspired this movie, composed and arranged most of the songs.More »
Read Review